from a fan who goes to the movies for the experience...not a critic that judges them...

Saturday, 7 January 2017

ARRIVAL

Denis Villeneuve is on a roll. I think he may have just set his own standards too high with this film. I have some minor issues with the plot of this film, but otherwise, it is a really excellent film. The plot itself is actually both a strength and a weakness. It is really good, and I like the way the story unfolds slowly as we learn more about & how to communicate with these extra-terrestrial beings. And the twist/revelation at the end is very surprising & unexpected. I am left quite in awe, and if I watch this film a second time, I will surely look at it differently. But I have some minor issues with the plot, too. I won't spoil anything, but I just want to say that the plot twist at the end puts a great more depth & meaning on one part of the plot, but it left me with a big (unanswered) question on the other main plot. I know this is really vague, but that's pretty much how I feel about the plot. It is really good and has great depth & meaning, but at the same time weakens other parts of the plot. Now if we talk about the directing, the cinematography, the editing...they are all superb. The scenes were brilliantly shot, and I especially like a tracking shot of the base camp. Denis Villeneuve makes all the scenes feel powerful, and I thought the pacing of this film was brilliant. It was relatively slow, but it was not boring. It was just enough for us to understand it, to think about it, and even make some guesses/expectations on it, but it never became too slow or boring. All the scenes felt intense & exciting at the same time. And I think we have Mr Villeneuve to thank for that. Another thing that I really like about this film are the characters. The characters were brilliant, and the acting was great. But more than the acting, I really felt like if there is a real alien ship on Earth, this is how the people would be reacting. Meanwhile, the score/music was really good, too. It was a bit jarring at first, because I felt that it was too loud, but towards the end it felt really good and brilliantly used. There are some minor issues with the plot & score for me, but otherwise it is a really excellent film overall. And that twist at the end was brilliant, and it will really get people talking. Director Denis Villeneuve is indeed one of the best (if not the best) director working now, and this film is a testament to that...VERDICT: 85/100 Highly recommended!!